Cosmetics, Branding, & Rare Beauty (Upper-Intermediate Lesson)

ESL/EFL Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2/C1)
Lesson Topics: make up, branding, inclusivity, marketing
Skill Focus: Speaking, Reading, Vocabulary
Approximate Class Time: 1.75 hours
Lesson Plan Download: rare-beauty-marketing-upper-intermediate-102024.docx
Lesson Overview:

  • After warm-up questions, students read a 273-word passage about Selena Gomez's makeup brand, Rare Beauty. The passage touches on Gomez's wealth, her upbringing, and the values of Rare Beauty.
  • Post-reading activities include comprehension questions and an activity requiring students use some of the 12 new vocabulary items to form discussion questions.
  • The lesson has two debate prompts: one about animal testing and another about whether quality is the most important factor for a product.
  • The lesson has one role-play between a man and his girlfriend. The man wants his girlfriend to wear less makeup, but also worries that this suggestion may offend her. 
  • The next speaking activity is a three-staged scenario that involves a marketing firm advising a client. The firm's main task is to persuade the client to use social media marketing instead of traditional methods and to consider diversity and inclusion in its marketing materials.
  • This is followed by a few quotations about cosmetics and branding.
  • The lesson closes with a vocabulary review, collocation review, and final discussion questions.
A vintage image of cosmetics on a boudoir

UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2/C1) Lesson on Cosmetics & Branding

Warm-up-Questions

  1. What beauty or self-care products are you currently wearing?
  2. What makes a brand successful in the beauty industry?
  3. Who do you think are the three most followed people on Instagram? (answer in page’s footer)
  4. Are you familiar with Selena Gomez or her make-up brand Rare Beauty?

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This lesson plan was created by Matthew Barton of EnglishCurrent.com (copyright). Site members may photocopy and edit the file for their classes. Permission is not given to rebrand the lesson, redistribute it on another platform, or sell it as part of commercial course curriculum. ChatGPT was used to generate answer keys and some famous quotations. For questions, contact the author.

Comprehension Question Answer Key

  1. Gomez made most of her money from her cosmetics company, Rare Beauty, which generated 95% of her wealth.
  2. ….
  3. Selena Gomez was inspired to act by watching her mother perform in local theater.
  4. Rare Beauty promotes individuality, inclusivity, and mental health awareness.
  5. …
  6. Gomez believes she has achieved something unique in cosmetics by combining beauty with a strong focus on mental health and inclusivity.

Vocabulary 1-e, 2-c, 3-g, 4-j, 5-l, 6-k, 7-a, 8-d, 9-i, 10-b, 11-f, 12-h

Collocations: 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-e, 5-d

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